You and Everything After

Chapter 5: Someone Else (edited)

Chapter's song: Slip- Tate McRae (I listened to this one while writing this chapter) I suggest you do too ♥
Dedication: winterjoo -DarkWings_

Stella POV:

I tapped my pen at the detention table glancing at our teacher who was working on his laptop then back at Noah who was sleeping. It's all because of you, I muttered glaring sideways at him just as the teacher said he had to go out for a second.

I could already see the students gathered at the field through the glass window. I should've been there to cheer for him. I even baked him cookies and wore his jersey. Ash promised she'd record a video for me but it wasn't like being there. Not even close sighed as I dropped my head on the table.

"Psst! Stella!" I thought I heard someone call my name. "Over here!" I wrinkled my nose as I raised my head to Mason standing at the classroom door.

"Mason? What are you doing here?" I whispered as Noah grumbled in his sleep.

"Getting you out. Now, hurry!" he urged as he checked the corridor. We ran out, almost making it out when we heard footsteps from behind. Mason was quick to grab my hand, dragging us to the nearest corner. I held my breath as we glanced at each other laughing quietly under our breaths.

"Listen," he whispered. "When I count to three you'll run."

"What about you?"

"I'll distract him."

"Thank you."

He smiled with a wink. "1,2, 3...and run!" I sprinted, my ponytail swinging with me, hoping I wouldn't trip. I turned around a little watching Mason block our teachers view.
"Do you love cookies?" I heard him ask our teacher. I couldn't stop laughing.
***
"What happened? Did they start already?" I spoke between sharp intake of breath when I finally found Ash at the bleachers holding when of the signs I've prepared yesterday with a cute drawing of Logan.

"He's over there stretching. It's the second round." I followed her line of vision, my heart blossoming when I saw him stretching next to another competitor. I held my breath as the race began and he ran at top speed. I clasped my hands over my chest as the loud cheers erupted over the thumping of my heart. He was in second place now almost making it to the first.
"You can do it, Logan!" I whispered as the crowd cheered his name over and over again. My heart raced as the finish line grew closer. He was still second.

"He's almost to the first!" Ash screamed as the cheers died down in anticipation.
"And making it to first is..." he was next to the other guy now at the same speed. I held my breath. "Logan Andrews!"

I screamed at the top of my lungs as the crowds stoop up screaming as well in utter joy. I hugged Ashley my hand over my mouth in happiness. Happy tears gathered in my eyes. Cheers were deafening as I watched him smile so wide with the coach proudly handing him his trophy. "He won," I repeated as I smiled in delight.

***
It was getting darker outside and students were already heading home with their parents commenting on how amazing he was. I smiled widely as I passed by them, looking for Logan. I wanted to tell congratulate him, to be there for him at the moment he dreamed of. My legs were getting heavier as I finally spotted him with his parents in the middle of the field. He turned to his mother who was crying and he hugged her.
She must be so proud. They walked away with his father carrying the trophy. I took that as my cue and called his name. His gaze traveled to mine and he smiled a little.

Almost ten feet were separating us as I stood gathering the words I wanted to say. If fear didn't exist, I'd run up to him, hug him and tell him how much I love him. My eyes trained on him and I took the last steps with a smile when a girl came out of nowhere throwing her hands around his neck. I froze in my place my breath hitching. Please don't be in love with someone else.

"I'm so proud of you!" She boasted and I watched him hug her back with a wide smile. She then pulled away as he teasingly ruffled her long brown hair. My hands were limp at my side.

She turned around still smiling as she tilted her head in my direction. "Oh Hi!" She waved. She was wearing his jersey too. The lump grew in my throat. His gaze met mine then traveled to the jersey. I pulled the jacket closer, covering it up.
"I'll be waiting for you in the car. There's a celebration tonight!" She squealed as she hurried off.

He turned to me and I was at a loss of words as I turned away my steps heavy. He has a girlfriend. I tried to keep my tears at bay. Tried to act like it didn't affect me. But it did. I stopped in my tracks pulling out the box of cooks tears gathering in my eyes as I turned around only to find him right behind me. I held my breath the box separating us.

"You wanted to tell me something?" He smiled. She already stole my line.

I stared past his shoulder. "I wanted to give you these cookies." I handed him the box and his fingers brushed mine as he took it.

One brow arched as he laughed under his breath in surprise. "You were the one who made them the other time?"

"Congratulations," I smiled. "You were amazing back there." I tried to control the quiver in my voice.

"Thank you. I didn't think I would make it. I only ever dreamed of winning...and there's so much yet to come. Practice will only get harder." Why was it that the only time we had a real conversation I figure out he has a girlfriend?

"She's...She's your girlfriend?" my voice was above a whisper as the coach spoke through the microphone that everyone should leave. I fidgeted with my sleeves.

"What did you just say?" I was glad he didn't hear me. I wouldn't know how to explain my curiosity.

His gaze held mine. "Why are you so sad?"
How do you tell someone the reason you're so sad is that you love them? You can't. She wouldn't love you the way I do, I wanted to say but didn't. It wouldn't matter anyway so I waved my hands at my sides. Everything that came before and everything I'd been focused on seemed to vanish away.

"I have to go." I looked around. "Congrats again...Logan," I said, my voice thick. I hated that the first time I said his name to his face it came out shaky. I turned away, damping at my tears as I heard him call my name. This time I didn't turn around. The hardest thing I've ever done is to walk away still madly in love with him. And the thing about falling for him is that I knew it'll hurt, shatter my heart maybe, but I allowed myself to fall anyways.

The walk to the end of the field felt the longest as the scene of them hugging kept playing on repeat in my head. I shook my head as I wiped my tears with the back of my sleeve when I bumped into someone. "Sorry," I whispered, walking past him when he held my wrist softly.

"Stella?" I looked at Mason. "Why are you crying? Did Noah do anything that hurt you?" He demanded and I shook my head.

"Logan," I cried and he narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't love me. It's so painful. Why did I even think I had a chance when I look like that? She's thin beautiful and I-" My shoulders dropped with a heave. He sighed long and heavy, as he placed his arms around me in a soothing hug. It felt safe with him. He never judged or asked questions. He knew when I needed silence.
"Shhh, it's gonna okay. Don't cry." He patted my back and I rested my head on his chest. "It's gonna be okay." He repeated with a heavy sigh.

***
I heard loud shouts coming from inside my house as I unlocked the key door. "You don't understand Lily! You are not a doctor. You don't know the side effects of being overweight!" I froze at the kitchen door. Lily was pacing and shaking her head.

"And you don't know what she's going through. She's just a teenager. Going through her father's death was so much for her. She was only 15."

"You think I haven't gone through so much too? Do you think I haven't cried every night at his loss? You left and didn't even talk to me, why? Because you thought I was trying to control your lives when all I was trying to do is keep my family together!"
My sister sighed heavily opening her mouth and then closing it when she saw me. Mom followed her line of vision and then took a sharp intake of breath moving toward me. I raised my hand. "No, don't." I stepped back looking between them in disappointment.
"Why do you always fight?" I shouted in desperation. "Why can't we just have our usual barbecue weekend like we used to, huh? Why rub it in? I know I'm not a size zero supermodel but losing weight is not easy." I cried, moving my hair away from my face.

"All I ever want is for my family to go back to the way they used to be. I want to come back home and not hear you fight for once. I want people to look at me and not turn away and whisper. For them to look past my weight. I wanted him to love me. None of the above will ever happen. It's infuriating." I screamed, my lips quivering as my mother rushed over placing her hands around me.

"I'm sorry. Please don't say that." She cried.

I pulled away as she wiped away my tears. "Dad wouldn't have wanted you to be like that."
My sister swallowed hard and then slowly came closer placing her hands around my mother. She cried as she apologized. I smiled through my tears as they hugged each other before I left them to talk and walked heavily to my room, having enough of today.

***

I sat on my bed staring at the quote from the book when my sister knocked on the door. "We're having lunch," She smiled resting her head on the door. "Mother said she wanted to meet Elijah."


" Oh my God. Finally!" I squealed, jumping in my place. "She'll love him. He's an amazing guy."

"Thank you, Stella!" I smiled hugging her back.
"You can give Elijah the book back." I handed it to her.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you not letting him go?"

"Who?"

"The book." She laughed and I realized I'm holding it firmly. I let it go and she took it back, heading to the door.

"Wash up and get changed. Let's hope she doesn't ask him a lot of questions! God, I feel like I'm about to get married!" I laughed hard as she headed out and then pulled my notebook with the list, holding it above the trash bin. I swallowed against the lump in my throat holding back my tears then threw it I'm the trash can. No more list. I'm done.

End of chapter.
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Next chapter teaser:

"Alright, everyone!" Noah spoke through the microphone as he went up the little stage with a drink in the other. "Ready for the video we prepared for Logan?"
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